Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Rue Montorgueil 2nd arr

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Rue Montorgueil 2nd arr

We are staying in an apartment for a week on a street call rue mandar near rue montorgueil. We usually stay in the 7th so I'm wondering if anyone has any insights about this area. I see it is near St. Denis so I don't know if I should worry or not

No, I don't think you need to worry. The area you're in is the pedestrian section of Montorgueil, where the restaurants stay open all night like in Charade when Audrey Hepburn meets up with the Walter Matthau character for onion soup. It's in the old Les Halles section. Although, the market area is closed down they are trying to retain its former flavor. I believe the worrisome part of St-Denis, while actually a few blocks over, is further north.

Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Feb 2004 edition (pp. 68-69) had a great article on this area titled "Nouveau Paris" with Montorgueil being one of the featured areas (it talks up its "vibrant street life" and says it's "retained its historic charm"). For food, it mentions:
*L'Escargot Montorgueil Restuarant 38 r. Montorgueil
*Stohrer 51 r. Montorgueil (deli/food shop)
*La Fermette 86 r. Montorgueil
*Le Rocher de Cancale 78 r. Montorgueil

For activities it mentions St-Eustache and for shopping Les Jardins d'Anais (florist).

And, of course, you've got the Jardin des Halles and its shopping and the oldest Renaissance fountain nearby, Fontaine des Innocents (which actually may be the only one left from that era). I really liked the Fontaine des Innocents during the day with its skater dudes. I took pictures. Others may not like that vibe at all. Don't forget that you're also that/close to the Louvre and the Palais Royal! And if you keep walking further almost straight south is the Pont Neuf.

And then you have the covered PASSAGES!: Galerie Vivienne, Galerie Colbert, Galerie de Valois, Passage des Petits-Pères, Passage des Panoramas, etc..

Other Things of Interest:
*La Bourse
*Cabinet de Médailles
*Place du Caire
*Quartier de la Presse
*Rue des Petits-Carreaux & r. Montorgueil
*Sentier
*Tour de Jean-sans-Peur
*Place des Victoires

Historic Restaurants of Paris also mentions:
*L'Arbre à Cannelle 57 Passage des Panormas
*Café le Croissant 146 r. Montmartre
*Café Runtz 16 r. Favart
*Drouant 16 place Gaillon
*Gallopin 40 r. Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
*Le Grand Colbert 2 r. Vivienne (remember? from Something's Got to Give?)
*Legrand Filles et Fils 1 r. de la Banque
*Aux Lyonnais 32 r. St-Marc
*Au Panetier 10 place des Petits-Pères
*À la Tour de Montlhéry (Chez Denise) 5 r. des Prouvaires
*La Potée des Halles 3 r. Étienne-Marcel

Bistros of Paris mentions:
*L'Ange Vin 168 r. Montmartre
*Clémentine 5 r. St-Marc
*Chez Georges-Le Jeu du Mail 1 r. St-Marc

Fodor's Paris further mentions:
*Le Vaudeville 29 r. Vivienne
*Au Pied de Cochon 6 r. Coquillière

Frommer's Paris mentions these:
*Chez la Vieille 37 r. de l'Arbre Sec
*Djarkata Bali 9 r. Vauvilliers

I live in the 2nd and know rue Montorgueil very well. Yes it's close to rue St Denis but you will be very safe as the hookers stay there. There is lots of night life though so I would not walk around at 4 am alone (as a woman) as a couple you will be fine.

If you like foie gras they sell it wholesale on in a little passage and you can take it back for your xmas. THe list provided above is great.

*Stohrer 51 r. Montorgueil (deli/food shop) is super and has been if business for over 100 yrs.

*Le Rocher de Cancale 78 r. Montorgueil
is a nice resto and very lively. Have a great trip !

moxie, is there a monprix or super marche nearby? We are staying in an apartment we may need some supplies Thanks

Moxie said: "Yes it's close to rue St Denis but you will be very safe as the hookers stay there."

I'm not so sure. I'd be willing to bet the hookers shop on Rue Montorgueil just like all the other locals. People don't necessarily stay in the area where they work.

But what would be "unsafe" about encountering the hookers anyway. I don't think they are known for attacking passers-by or doubling as pickpockets or anything like that.

For me, being in a hooker-laden area doesn't feel dangerous because of the hookers, but because of their clientele who have a tendency to "mistake" any solo females as being interested in a certain sort of commerce. Also, drug dealers and buyers have a tendency to hang out in the same areas as the hookers (just from general experience, not Paris in particular, where I haven't visited Rue St. Denis).

I like rue Montorgueil for shopping and hanging out. I like the cafe there about a block up on the left, in front of a produce store.

Willtravel is right about the hookers. From personal experience, it is NOT fun or charming to live or work in an area with a lot of hookers doing business. I know because I used to do it (I worked on Hollywood blvd. in Hollywood near Orange). It is more dangerous because of the kind of activity and people that hang around areas like that--men who cruise around hooker areas are not usually upstanding citizens. It's not fun to have men approaching you, harassing you, following you, etc, when you are just minding your own business and walking a block or so. I realize men never think about these things because it's not an issue for them, unless they are there for illegal things, also (Hugh Grant got busted not far from my office, for example).

There is a MOnoprix not too far away around the intersection of rue de Pastro and Sebastopol (just a bit south of Reaumur Sebastopol metro stop).

Whew! Christina, I had to read your third sentence of the second paragraph three times to make sure I understood it correctly! First time I took it wrong. I hope no one else did.

And yes, I do see what you mean about the "safety" issue. I was just struck by the line about how the hookers stay in their own area.

I have walked down St Denis in the day-time and not had any problems and don't plan to be in the area at night. I was just trying to find out about the area in general as someone said they felt threatened walking at night near Le Halles. Although it wasn't exactly threatening just really weird, we once came out of The Moulin Roughe late at night and could not get across the street due to thousands of roller bladers and there were all these people trying to get us to enter these sex shows. They were actually pulling our arms when we walked by. There were also alot of pickpockets just hanging around or maybe they were drug dealers, anyway, I felt uncomfortable standing out there. I go there during the day and it is atotally different place.

Thanks, Moxie. I would imagine the uncomfortable area that people talk about near Les Halles is the Jardin les Halles area at night. But then again, I'd avoid any parks/gardens at night. Rue Montorgueil should be quite lively & safe. I think since you've lived there that your opinion is once to be considered.

Patrick - I read that the same way. For a moment, I thought that Christina had a colorful past!

The book "Almost French" by Sarah Turnbull is about her life as an Australian expat who moves to Paris and marries a French man. Their apartment is in that area and she talks about it extensively in the book. I've walked around that area (Rue Montorgueil, not St Denis) a few times but now that I've read that book I'm going to explore it more fully on my next trip to Paris.

First, I have to say GET BACK Patrick :p
thank you to the rest for explaining my sentiments which i expressed poorly!
I personally like the hookers and yes they eat and shop everywhere we do. It's their clientele and johns who can be obnoxious.

Yes, there are 2 'super marché' on the street: both Super U. But really only go there for bottled water, soda and wine and soap. There are wonderful produce shops, bakeries (did i mention stoher ;)), butchers, cheese shops etc to shop. and 2 big monoprix a short 5 minute walk away: corners of etienne marcel and sebastabol; and strasbourg and sebastebal

Rue st denis is safer than les halles at night. Unless you are looking for drugs there is no reason to hang out at les halles AT NIGHT. At night for me is after 2 am. Before then I do not worry.

It is safer to walk around st denis and les halles at night though than in the 16th...

Just got back. We found the location to be very convenient and close to alot of the places we wanted to go.We were warned by locals not to go into the park at night as drug dealers hang out there, I found it interesting that the park is next door to a police station. We were out very late one night and crossed Rue St Denis on our way home. WE saw women sort of standing in door ways but not much else. During the day St Denis is pretty seedy looking. Sex shops, graffiti, trash, and some unsavory looking guys hanging out. The real estate agencies have 2 room apartments listed there for more than $400,000. The market street is very nice with lots of good food and other things. The apartment we stayed in was on a quiet side street, however, it was a bit noisy at night, people used it as a short cut. The bed was next to the window and I am a light sleeper.

rue montogueil is fine. You should definitely take a peek at Strohrer's. You can pick up all sorts of provisions for your apartment there. We went there our 2nd morning in Paris and found just about everything we needed in the way of foodstuffs.
I think you can only fall into the thick of it in St Denis by wandering astray. We got lost one day and did. It's probably more dicey at night. During the daylight hours you mostly just feel like you made a really bad turn somewhere and would like to get away from the sex shops. It seems pretty generic as far as sex shops go however.

Suzanne2, thanks for getting back with us & giving us an update on this area. Now I'm really intrigued!

Wow ~ $400K for an apt. Wonder then what one would go for on the Ile St-Louis?

Will you write up a trip report for us to enjoy, Suzanne? It doesn't have to be anything lengthy. Some just like to provide us with highlights of their trip.

What! Those ladies on r. St Denis were prostitutes?!?! And I thought they really, really liked me as a person! I'm so gullible. :-)

Thanks for the follow-up Suzanne2. It's nice to hear back from people about their experiences. I echo beatchick's comments. It would be nice to have a bit of a report. Not many people stay on the right bank in an apartment. It would be nice to have your input.

Glad you had a good time.

Why, indytravel, they DO like you.

Just at a price! ;)

There are a couple of msallish grocery stores on the food shopping street.